Discussing Decolonisation: A roundtable discussion at York St John

How should we understand 'decolonisation' in the context of higher education? Is decolonisation more about material demands or epistemic justice? Can we seek to decolonise the curriculum without decarbonising the institution? How does decolonisation intersect with other social justice issues, and/or with the politics of anti-racism and anti-capitalism?

Join staff and students at York St John University for a roundtable discussion on the nature, challenge and potential of decolonisation within and beyond higher education, featuring three short position papers from YSJ colleagues followed by collective discussion and debate.

Representing the YSJ Ecological Justice Research Group, Dr Jude Parks and Dr Tokunbo Olorundami will open the proceedings with a presentation on the relationship between decolonising and decarbonising the curriculum, and the role of academia in shaping inclusive and future-oriented education. Next, Jake Furby will foreground the connection between decolonisation and LGBTQIA+ justice, arguing for the importance of decolonising queer histories and research. Finally, Lucy Potter will seek to (re)position decolonisation as a political and intellectual project that demands a commitment to anti-capitalism and, with it, a revival of anti-imperialist internationalism.

Following all three papers, we will open up the floor for wider group discussion and debate, chaired by Dr Laura Key, co-covener (with Lucy Potter) of the YSJ Discussing Decolonisation series.

Presenters:

Jude Parks is Senior Lecturer in Geography at York St John University. She is a long-standing member of the Ecological Justice Research Network as well as YSJ's Living Lab — a network of students and staff collaborating to investigate and tackle real ecological justice issues, from the campus food system to transformative climate adaptation

Tokunbo Olorundami is Lecturer in Geography at York St John University, and an active member of both the University's Ecological Justice Research Network and the 2024-26 Living Lab: Resilience in a Changing Climate. He has also worked as programme administrator and Director of Studies for the African Development study centre, overseeing CPD training across several African countries.

Jake Furby is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at York St John University, and is currently undertaking a PhD exploring LGBTQIA+ muslims’ experiences of toxic masculinity. Over the past ten years, Jake has helped establish three charities in York (York LGBT Forum, York Pride, York LGBTQ+ History Month), as well as the York-based CIC, Inclusive Equal Rights UK (IERUK).

Lucy Potter is the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Team Coordinator at York St John University, and co-convener of the YSJ Discussing Decolonisation event series and reading group. For the past few years, she has also been organising with No More Exclusions — a grassroots anti-racist, abolitionist movement fighting for racial justice in and across the UK education system.

This is the second event in York St John's 2024/25 Discussing Decolonisation series, and takes place in person on campus, from 3-5pm on Friday 22nd November. Please note that, given the participatory nature of the roundtable, the event will be in-person only and will not be recorded.

To find out about forthcoming online and hybrid events, please sign up to our Discussing Decolonisation mailing list.

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